Switched from wire brushes to rotary brushes after a nasty jam in Portland

I was always a wire brush guy, figured they were simpler and cheaper. But last month I had this job on an old masonry flue in Portland that just would not clear. I spent almost 4 hours fighting a sticky creosote buildup that just kept clogging my brush. Finally called a buddy out of desperation and he brought his rotary brush kit. Got the whole thing done in maybe 20 minutes. The flue was so much cleaner too, no hidden chunks left behind. Now I feel kind of dumb for resisting the change for like 2 years. Has anyone else had a job take way longer because you were using the wrong tool?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_ellis15d ago

Four hours on one flue? That's honestly insane, man.

wesley_adams15d ago

I read somewhere that old timers would sometimes leave a flue running overnight on low.

faith_thomas14d ago

Didn't their houses just fill with smoke though?